Afi Osakwe
AFI G. OSAKWE BIO
Born in 1951 in Greensboro, NC as Rodolphus Americus McCoy, Jr. to Rudolph David McCoy and Willie Bertina Reeves McCoy, he changed his name to Afi Gamba Osakwe ("Spiritual Warrior, if it is the Will of God") in 1993 to more fully express his spiritual, historical, political and social world view. After graduating from James B. Dudley High School in 1970 (the next to last all-black student class at the high school) he served a little more than two years in the United States Navy before entering North Carolina A&T State University in Spring 1973. He graduated in May 1989 after sixteen years. As a Patricia Roberts Harris Fellow, he attended UNC-Chapel Hill's Department of City and Regional Planning to pursue a doctorate in Economic Development. Not being fully dedicated to the objectives of the program, he left and applied to the North Carolina Central University (NCCU) History Department graduate program and was accepted, thanks in large part to Dr. Percy Murray and Dr. Helen G. Edmonds, in Fall 1992, graduating in Spring 1994.
After brief employment with NCCU, he relocated to Raeford, NC and founded Osakwe Associates International, in March 1995. His professional career includes educator, youth advocate/mentor, black male rights of passage program design and facilitation, volunteer development, grant writer, organizational/business assessment, strategic planning, social research design, community analysis and problem solving, technical writing, and lecturing.
His main focus today is pursuing the publication of works in progress and implementing a holistic health and economic paradigm including youth development to assist self and marginalized black families and the poor toward a higher quality of life.
EDUCATION:
James B. Dudley High School, Greensboro, NC, 1970;
North Carolina A&T State University, BA, Political Science (International Relations, Transportation); 3.1 GPA (Magna Cum Laude); Greensboro, NC, 1989; and
North Carolina Central University, MA, History (Black Studies, Education), 4.0 GPA (Summa Cum Laude), Durham, NC, 1994.
NCCU STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS AND UNIVERSITY AFFILIATIONS:
1. Summa Cum Laude: 4.0 GPA
2. Member of University Faculty Senate, Student Senate Representative
3. Planning Committee Member of the "Third National Conference on Desegregation" sponsored by the NCCU Institute for Minority Issues
4. Student Representative on University Technology Committee
5. Student Representative on University International Programs Committee
6. Graduate Research Assistant: North Carolina Center for the Study of Black History -- organized "Floyd McKissick Papers" and "Black Solidarity Committee for Community Improvement Tapes" -- Dr. Benjamin F. Speller, Dr. Doris Terry Williams. Mr. Osakwe expresses special appreciation to Dr. Speller, Dean of the School of Library and Information Sciences at the time for his support and access to invaluable resources at Shepherd Library and at the University during the research phase of thesis development; and to Dr. Doris Terry Williams (Research Advisor) and Dr. Beverly Washington Jones (Faculty Advisor) for their significant support in the endeavor.
7. Graduate Teaching Assistant, Dept. of History
8. Pembroke State University, Instructor Summer Programs (While in Grad School)
9. Youth Leadership Training Institute, Program Assistant/Instructor (while in Grad School)
HONORS/AWARDS:
Alpha Phi Theta and Gamma Pi Mu International Honors Societies; Departmental "Leadership and Service Award" (NC A&T State University; Winner of first Martin Luther King Speech Contest at NC A&T State University; Honors recognition for two consecutive years at North Carolina Central University, 1992-1993 and 1993-1994; Certificate of Recognition from NCCU for development of informational web site critical for SAC re-accreditation process, 1999.
Mr. Osakwe was employed by the NCCU Community Service-Learning Program as Service-Learning Coordinator and North Carolina Community Service Clearinghouse Coordinator during the periods1995 and 2001 - 2002.